A Week of 5-Ingredient Dinners for Less Than $50

Get a week's worth of budget-friendly, 5-ingredient weeknight meals (plus, get a shopping list!)

I want to be better at saving money and one place I can start is with dinner. No, I’m not going to be serving my family ramen noodles every night. I’m still going to cook delicious, healthy dinners, but I’m going to be more savvy about the recipes I choose to make. To keep things simple (and cheap!) during the work week, I’ll stick to recipes with only 5 ingredients (not including the bare essentials like oil, salt and pepper). AND I’m not going to spend more than $50. Is it Dinner Impossible? No! Check out my menu (and my shopping list) for the week. It comes out to just under $40 for main dishes, leaving me $10 for healthy sides like salad greens, broccoli and brown rice. Maybe I’ll even be able to slip in a dessert. Here are the recipes I’m making and how much they cost.

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Monday's Dinner: Chicken Breasts Stuffed with Pimiento Cheese $6.69

Stuffing boneless, skinless chicken breasts with pimientos, scallions and cheese gives them great flavor without a lot of effort. Don’t be concerned if some of the filling oozes out while the chicken is baking; just scoop it up from the pan as you serve. Serve with: Sautéed zucchini or summer squash and barley.

Friday's Dinner: Black Bean Quesadillas $5.81

In a hurry? These satisfying quesadillas take just 15 minutes to make. We like them with black beans, but pinto beans work well too. If you like a little heat, be sure to use pepper Jack cheese in the filling. Serve with: A little sour cream and a mixed green salad.